‘Fishy’ Fish
A nationwide check of canned tuna fish for excess levels of mercury may be launched by the FDA. A chemistry professor tested four cans of tuna and found that the mercury level in one can exceeded the level FDA considers safe.
Giant Net
Tests are being made on a sort of super-strong giant volleyball net that could prevent end-of-runway disasters. One of the developers says the device could be available in a year if no new bugs develop during the proving at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Stain Remover
Window cleaners in Wrexham, Wales, have scrubbed much of the stain off of All Saints Church’s stained glass windows, ruining some of Britain’s finest examples of 16th Century stained glass.
Teacher Surplus
A regional director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Brunswick A. Bagdon, predicted that the United States would have a “significant” surplus of teachers by 1980.
Onassis Purchase
Aristotle Onassis has gained control of the giant Harlan and Wolff shipyard with 25 percent of the stock.
Traffic Fine
A disgusted out-of-town visitor who was protesting harsh treatment by the city’s police sent Sam Ross, mayor of Johannesburg, South Africa, 4,000 half-cent coins packed in sawdust as payment of a traffic fine.
Humble Experiment
Humble Oil & Refining Co. has announced in Houston that it plans to enter the private brand gasoline market in March. The brand will be called “Alert” and will be sold at a dozen stations in New York and New Jersey. These stations will be separate from Humble stations.
The gasoline sold will not be the same quality as that sold by Humble and will not even be made by Humble.
This experiment is being made to gauge the potential of private brands in the retail gasoline market. The brands usually do not sell as well as major brands.